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cnbc.com
Meta is the latest tech giant to land in her courtroom. Meet Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has presided over a series of landmark tech trials and is now overseeing a case that could have a huge impact on Meta's future.
theguardian.com
Auntie v influencers: why YouTubers are ready for battle with the BBC
Content creators are fighting proposal to boost traditional broadcasters in video platforms’ all-powerful algorithmsThe millions who subscribe to the content creator Simon Squibb’s social media channels are usually delivered tips and hacks on how to turn their dream business idea into reality. But they were recently presented with something completely different.In an Instagram post entitled “the government wants to control YOU”, Squibb issued an urgent call to arms. He asked his followers to fight against a proposal that he said could force content from the BBC and other traditional broadcasters into their social media feeds and recommendations whether they liked it or not. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Penchant for bling’: can Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley take a bigger slice of luxury retail?
Frasers billionaire bought Harvey Nichols and increased Hugo Boss stake despite tough times for high-end storesWhat billionaire doesn’t love to splash the cash on a luxury item? Some may buy watches or yachts, but Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has been snapping up entire brands.Harvey Nichols is the latest bauble to drop into his shopping basket after his company bought the Knightsbridge department store out of administration earlier this month. It sits beside a large slice of Hugo Boss, a chunk of Mulberry, a snippet of Burberry, the remains of Agent Provocateur and the entire Flannels and House of Fraser chains. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Diamonds for sale: lab-grown gem auctions are all over TikTok right now, but some aren’t happy about it
Streamed auctions offer a cheap way to buy the precious gems, but experts warn that quality is not guaranteedThe first time Andrea Greenhill came across a livestream auction for lab-grown diamonds while scrolling on TikTok, she was stunned. While the diamond engagement ring her husband proposed with years ago had cost thousands of dollars, these loose lab-grown diamonds were selling in seconds at a fraction of the price.“I have two rings that are both natural diamonds and cost a fortune,” she said. I saw the prices they were going for in the auctions, and I was like, “This is insanity.’” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Inside Coca-Cola’s secretive innovation labs: How the beverage giant wants to automate dirty soda and refreshers
From McDonald's to Wendy's, longtime Coke customers have been expanding their beverage offerings to boost their profit margins.
bbc.co.uk
Taxi drivers urge council to agree 8% fare hike
Taxi fares could rise by 8% to help drivers combat rising fuel prices and the cost of living.
cnbc.com
Ahead of tough new U.S. sanctions, Iran criticizes 'extraterritorial sovereignty'
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday that the proposed economic measures will likely negate the need for major U.S. military operations.
theguardian.com
Canada vows to match Trump’s tariffs ‘dollar for dollar’ after trade talks fail
Mark Carney accuses US of ‘unfair’ last-minute changes to deal that would have averted 50% import taxesThe Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has promised to match US tariffs “dollar for dollar” after the two sides failed to agree a trade deal by the deadline of midnight on Friday.The trade row is the biggest rupture in recent relations between Washington and one of its closest allies and trading partners as Donald Trump’s bellicose foreign policy angered officials in Ottawa. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Plug-in solar: could a low-cost panel cut your bills?
Britons will be able to buy ‘balcony’ systems they can install themselves from 27 August thanks to rule changeDespite this summer bringing hours of sunshine, many Britons have been unable to cash in on free electricity generated by the sun. Rooftop solar panels are usually out of the question if you live in a flat or rent your home, and the cost has made them prohibitive to many more households.However, this could be about to change because next week the first wave of low-cost “plug-in” solar panels will go on sale in Great Britain. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It brings me joy’: how young people are making CDs cool again
Compact discs are back, with searches for players up 96% at John Lewis and popular models sold out onlineWith more than 800 million people subscribing to a music streaming service, wireless speakers have become a familiar sight in homes. But expect to get reacquainted with a different object to play music soon: the CD player, once consigned to obsolescence, is back.John Lewis report that searches for CD players are up 96% since July, possibly owing to students heading to university and buying the systems for their rooms. The £79 Crosley Voyager, and the £129 Pure Classic C-D6 are both sold out online, with the Voyager scheduled to return in October. Portable CD players are also popular. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Unions worry Labour’s plan for zero-hours contracts may break manifesto pledge
Leaders claim scaremongering from business figures may cause key legislation to become ‘meaningless’Trades unions are warning Andy Burnham that Labour’s policy on cutting zero-hours contracts risks failing to live up to the party’s manifesto.Union leaders are seeking reassurances from the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, amid what the TUC has condemned as “scaremongering” from business groups. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Hook, hold, harvest and hide: Meta’s alleged strategy laid out in first week of landmark trial
In trial that opened on Tuesday, California and 28 other states accused the company of designing addictive sites and violating laws protecting children’s privacyMeta’s business can be boiled down to four words that begin with the letter H: hook, hold, harvest, hide, according to a lawyer who is prosecuting the world’s largest social media company.The owner of Facebook and Instagram “hooks” in users, “holds” them on its platforms for as long as possible, “harvests” their data and then “hides” the truth from the public, she argued. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘The worst part is the guilt’: the owners who fear dog food caused pets’ eye problems
In the week that Years recalled all of its fresh meals, concerns grow about a potential link to dogs’ health conditions“It’s been horrible – Chester developed sudden red and gunky eyes in May,” said Elizabeth, whose six-year-old cavachon “can’t open his eyes” on many days.The 29-year-old civil servant is one of a number of people who contacted the Guardian because they are concerned about a potential link between a recalled dog food and their pet’s eye condition. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafström sounded out about standing against Infantino
African federations sound out Swede over role‘They think he can group all the continents’ Senior figures in African football have held talks with Fifa’s general secretary, Mattias Grafström, to sound out his interest in standing against Gianni Infantino, the Guardian can reveal.As many as 15 federations in Africa are also said to be ready to turn their backs on Infantino when he seeks re-election as Fifa president next year, despite the Confederation of Africa Football (Caf) claiming that its executive committee (exco) had “unanimously reconfirmed” its support for the under-fire 56-year-old. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Subterranean salad: underground farmers seek solution to food crisis in disused UK mines
Researchers in North Yorkshire feel the clock ticking as they aim to transform British food productionIt has the vibe of a Bond villain’s underground lair but the workers in hi-vis and helmets aren’t weighing and packing hard drugs or parts for a death laser. It’s pak choi and lettuce.More than 1,000 metres down, researchers in North Yorkshire have created the world’s deepest underground farm and are running trials for a project that could transform UK food production. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Not 'poor enough': Do people use London's pay-it-forward schemes?
The schemes are in place to help people who are struggling with the cost of living.
theguardian.com
Battery fires at recycling centres are costing UK £1bn a year, figures show
Experts say fires caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries, such as those in vapes, are putting lives at riskFires at recycling centres caused by wrongly discarded lithium batteries such as those found in vapes are occurring at the rate of more than 10 a week, according to new figures.Experts say the sheer volume of battery fires now occurring at waste facilities has reached a crisis that is putting lives at risk, costing £1bn a year and frustrating fire chiefs. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A bridge too far? Why link to Sicily is still a dream despite 2,000 years of plans
Roman dream of building structure over strait of Messina has been revived by officials, despite claims it is unworkable and protests from localsFor more than 2,000 years, it has been an obsessive dream: a plan to link the Mediterranean Sea’s largest island to mainland Italy. It began with the Romans, who, according to Pliny the Elder, built a bridge of boats and barrels across the strait of Messina in 251BC to transport 140 war elephants captured from the Carthaginians.Centuries later, the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini embraced the same vision, followed by rightwing prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who made the bridge a flagship project. Then, in 2022, after being appointed Italy’s infrastructure minister, Matteo Salvini revived the mythic ambition, claiming that the ferry crossings “cost people more in a year than it would cost to build the bridge”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘We fear lessons will not be learned’: Chloe Moffat’s parents on their fight to hold Treasury to account
Couple considering suing for wrongful death after coroner found disciplinary process materially contributed to suicideWhen a coroner ruled this month that the Treasury “materially contributed” to Chloe Moffat’s death, her parents breathed out in bittersweet relief. For a year, David and Anne Moffat had been forced to become detectives in the worst case any parent could have to solve: why their daughter took her own life.Chloe, 26, went to her job as a personal assistant at the Treasury on a Monday last May “happy as Larry” after a weekend she’d told her friends was a “10 out of 10”. She was planning a holiday with her sister, Alice, and arranging for friends to come for a dinner party the next weekend. She was, according to her father, living “the best life”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Digging the grave of my profession’: the Hollywood creatives training AI to do their jobs
Amid a jobs slump, award-winning writers, directors and producers taking on sometimes lucrative temp work teaching AI skills such as screenwriting and productionHollywood creatives are taking gig work to train AI models to replicate their skills in a bid to offset tightening earnings in a trend one compared to being “handed a shovel and asked to dig the grave of my profession”.Experienced and award-winning writers, directors and producers are being paid from $12 to $200 an hour to teach AI models the intricacies of their jobs, from writing a screenplay to devising a shooting schedule. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It exists only for pleasure’: does ice-cream have a future in the age of wellness fads and weight-loss drugs?
As fitness-conscious consumers turn away from processed foods, the industry is scrambling for new ideas, including nutrient-rich lollies and protein-packed tubs. Will they take the fun out of this summer treat?Last month, I stood in the biggest ice-cream factory in Britain and watched a 5-metre Viennetta mint-flavoured ice-cream cake get made. The factory – which is owned by the Magnum Ice Cream Company and produces nine different brands of ice-cream – is based in an enormous building in Gloucester, where the air is thick with the scent of custard. I walked past the Twister and Solero sections on my way in, through clouds of tangy fruit, before arriving at the Viennetta assembly line, where everything smelled minty fresh. A Viennetta is built on a conveyor belt by a fully automated system, and watching it take shape was oddly hypnotic. Every few inches a nozzle attached to the belt squirted out a frilly layer of mint ice-cream, then another nozzle smoothed a flat layer of vanilla on top of that, then came a squirt of chocolate sauce, and it was back to frilly mint again. On and on it went, layer upon layer, popping out finished Viennettas at the end of the line at a rate of 200 cakes every 60 seconds.A slop bucket full of Viennetta overrun stood at the side of the conveyor belt and I fought a strong urge to squelch my fingers into it. Later, the factory operations manager allowed me to push my whole hand into the slop bucket up to the wrist and then lick my hand at a sink, before washing it and resuming the tour. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Would even an AI disaster on the scale of Hiroshima be enough to make humankind protect itself? I fear not | Timothy Garton Ash
It’s clear here in Silicon Valley that AI is advancing faster than humans’ ability to control it. That means even sober prophecies seem optimisticHere in Silicon Valley, the experts think that within the next couple of years we’ll see an extraordinary takeoff for artificial intelligence. “Welcome to the foothills of the singularity,” as a Stanford University friend greeted me. More prosaically, the imminent breakthrough is described as “recursive self-improvement” – the point at which AI itself trains each successive model of AI, resulting in an exponential development to something which, in many significant respects, is more intelligent than us humans.As Robert Wright puts it in his book The God Test: “Never before has the near-term future … held such a wide array of not-implausible paths for humankind that would be so wildly transformative.” But will this be heaven or hell? Heaven, says Elon Musk, who predicts “an age of amazing abundance” – although he also sees a 10-20% chance of killer robots murdering us all. Hell is more likely according to Geoffrey Hinton, one of the intellectual founding fathers of AI. “My intuition is, we’re toast,” he told an interviewer in 2023. And talking to Sebastian Mallaby, author of The Infinity Machine, a book about the quest for superintelligence, Hinton estimates p(doom) – the probability of human extinction – at 50%, “because I haven’t got a clue how to estimate the real number”. “As soon as evolution [of AI] kicks in, we’re fucked,” he adds cheerfully. But whether it’s God or Godzilla, artificial superintelligence is just around the corner.Timothy Garton Ash is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Premium bonds: more chance of win as NS&I ups prize fund rate again
Savings bank estimates there will be 308,000 more prizes available in September draw than the month beforePremium bond holders will have more chances of winning prizes after changes announced this week.From September there will be more prizes up for grabs for the 22 million people who hold the government-backed savings bonds. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Six investors reveal the biggest market risks — and one strategy they agree on
Investors see different risks threatening markets, but broadly agree that traders should diversify beyond recent winners.
bbc.co.uk
'We have more work to do', says Canada negotiator as US trade deadline looms
Negotiations to finalise a deal between the US and Canada are going down to the wire ahead of a Friday night deadline.
theguardian.com
Tesla recalls nearly 3m vehicles in China over door handle safety risks
Recall comes after Chinese authorities said it would ban hidden car door handles commonly seen on Tesla modelsTesla and other carmakers are making a major recall of more than 4m vehicles in China over safety concerns mostly related to their door handles, according to Chinese authorities on Friday.The US carmaker is recalling about 2.98m China-made and imported EVs including Model 3, Model Y, Model X and Model S over door-handle safety risks, according to China’s state administration for market regulation. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
As GOP warns data centers put Ohio Senate seat at risk, Husted defends energy policy
Vice President JD Vance joined Sen. Jon Husted and other GOP leaders at a Middletown, Ohio, steel plant, as data center fears loom.
cnbc.com
Trump to allow import of 300,000 metric tons of ground beef without tariff
Beef prices in the U.S have soared in 2026 due to a reduction in the nation's cattle herd.
theguardian.com
TikTok agrees to $400m settlement to resolve US children’s privacy litigation
The DoJ sued TikTok and its former parent company in August 2024 for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy and collecting their informationTikTok and its Chinese former parent company ByteDance on Friday agreed to a $400m settlement to resolve the US Department of Justice’s allegations that the short-form video app violated children’s online privacy.The justice department sued TikTok and ByteDance in 2024 for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy and illegally collecting their information. The defendants were accused of violating a law requiring online services aimed at children to obtain parental consent to collect personal information from users under age 13. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Anthropic IPO filing will show AI backlash as a risk factor, sources say
Anthropic is poised to debut on the stock market at a time when the public is increasingly upset about data centers and is fearful about AI taking jobs.
bbc.co.uk
Watch: How does the US national debt affect consumers around the world?
The debt has more than doubled in a decade to reach a milestone $40tn (£29.4tn), Treasury figures show.
theguardian.com
Dutch regulator fines Uber $966m for automating driver suspensions
European regulators have imposed billions in penalties on US technology companies due to privacy, competition and digital market rulesThe Dutch data protection authority has fined Uber €825m ($966m) for deactivating driver accounts through automated systems without adequately informing them, according to a 17 August decision.The penalty would be the second-largest issued yet under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Longer-dated Treasury yields rise as Bessent's bond buyback rally fizzles out
Concerns over the Treasury Department's debt repurchase program continue to weigh on markets.
cnbc.com
Bitcoin surges 22% for the week as investor optimism floods back
The flagship digital currency has enjoyed a strong week boosted by several contributing factors.
cnbc.com
Oil prices are little changed after Iran's president indicates Tehran wants war to end soon
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday that Washington will impose the "toughest sanctions in history" against Iran.
cnbc.com
Tesla recalls 3 million vehicles in China over doorhandle safety, driver monitoring
Tesla will voluntarily recall about 3 million of its vehicles in China to address doorhandle safety concerns and deficient driver monitoring systems.
theguardian.com
Britain’s railway prepares for more extreme weather as intense El Niño develops
Experts say more must be done to adapt to changing climate, after two trains derailed within 24 hours during a recent heatwaveRailway companies are racing to prepare for another brutal summer next year, as a developing El Niño could see 2027 break more heat-related records.Britain’s railway system has already been under stress from extreme heat this summer, with several operators reducing timetables and train speeds. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Kalshi traders think the bitcoin rally could end the year near current levels
Speculators on the prediction market platform think it's most likely that the cryptocurrency will end 2026 close to where it's now trading.
bbc.co.uk
US borrowing costs rise as attempts to ease rates prove short-lived
Economists said there were ongoing concerns over the level of borrowing as national debt passed $40tn.
theguardian.com
Work-life balance and Saint Monday | Brief letters
Changing weekends | The Sussexes’ security | Brotherly beard wars | A collective sigh | Lady DagenhamJess Cartner-Morley writes about the changing nature of the weekend (16 August). In the 19th century, Saint Monday was a key feature of working-class railway excursions. There were many complaints, but a correspondent in the Birmingham Daily Post in 1860 commented that labourers who were being lectured about not working on Mondays might be compared with MPs who did not start work in the Commons until Thursdays, and that the workers actually achieved their targets despite taking Mondays off.Dr Susan MajorYork• On the vexed question of who will pay for the Sussexes’ security on their return to the UK (Report, 20 August), maybe that nice Mr Farage could bung them a few quid?Andrew PlatmanBeckenham, London Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Andy Burnham’s buses: a blueprint for governing Britain | Editorial
The prime minister is right to think that taking Manchester’s model national could widen opportunity, clean the air and rebuild state capacity. Other public services could be nextBarely a month into his premiership, Andy Burnham is already taking the lessons of Manchester’s buses national. This week his government backed the West Midlands mayor Richard Parker’s move to bring the region’s main bus operation into public control. In July, he announced that he would reinstate a £2 national bus fare cap from January 2027. He’s also expanding free bus travel for disabled people to all hours. Transport affordability is clearly part of Mr Burnham’s cost of living programme. That is to be applauded, as is the emphasis on public transport, which – importantly for Labour – reduces social exclusion, boosts local economies, and is better for the environment. Yet buses may matter to Mr Burnham for another reason: they offer a blueprint for how he wants to govern.This is because Mr Burnham seems to have a worked-out model. He told the Times this week that the prescription for services such as water, housing and energy isn’t yet clear, “with the exception of buses”. Public control, Mr Burnham reasons, gives government the power to make provision cheaper and more reliable – and to shape it around the public interest. For buses, that means the government determining the shape of the network even where private companies run the services. Municipal ownership this is not. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on the export of fossils: they deserve national treasure status | Editorial
Scientific specimens are being sold to foreign museums or snapped up by the super-rich. They should have the same legal protections as works of artAs Sir David Attenborough has observed, “there’s nothing more magical than finding a shiny shell and knowing you’re the first person to have seen it for 150 million years”. Senior museum figures are campaigning for fossils to be classed as national treasures, according to the Waverley criteria, which control the export of objects considered culturally important to the nation. But the rules only cover natural treasures that are “made”, excluding fossils.These calls come after a private collection from the Jurassic Coast was sold to the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi for a reported eight-figure sum. Both the Natural History Museum in London and Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales) were offered the 318 fossils, but they didn’t have the funds. Unlike countries such as Brazil and Mongolia, where fossils belong to the state, Britain relies largely on a voluntary code of conduct. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Broadcom debt deal expected to reach upwards of $70 billion, sources say
Broadcom is in talks to raise upwards of $70 to $80 billion in debt for a chip financing deal, CNBC's David Faber reported on Friday.
cnbc.com
How one Silicon Valley firm is seizing an opportunity from Premier League soccer's gambling ad clampdown
Premier League clubs have removed betting brands from shirt fronts, opening new sponsorship opportunities while bookmakers shift spending elsewhere.
cnbc.com
Taiwan's AI-fueled forecast of 11% GDP growth likely not sustainable, economists say
Taiwan's economic growth could moderate due to its vulnerability to risks of capex slowdown, macroeconomic downturns, and concentration in semiconductors.
cnbc.com
Gold rebounds as bond jitters, debt fears and weaker dollar revive bullion demand
Gold is rebounding as investors weigh U.S. debt concerns, a weaker dollar and stubbornly high Treasury yields.
cnbc.com
Bessent says there's a 'very good chance' U.S. budget deficit under Trump has peaked
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that there's a "very good chance" of the U.S. has seen its budget deficit peak under President Donald Trump.
cnbc.com
No more doom scrolling or Instagram Stories? A Meta trial loss could end the social media we know
"These trials are often compared to the Big Tobacco lawsuits of the 90s, and the outcome will likely be analogous as well," one analyst told CNBC.
theguardian.com
Jamie and Jools Oliver pay themselves £1.5m dividend as profits almost halve
Pre-tax earnings slump at chef’s food and media group after one-off costs including for a new cookery schoolJamie and Jools Oliver have paid themselves a £1.5m dividend – more than 40% down on last year – after profits at their cookery and media empire almost halved.Sales at Jamie Oliver Holdings remained broadly steady at £28.4m in 2025, £160,000 less than in the previous year, as a strong performance at the group’s own restaurants, franchise business, cookery schools and TV productions offset a decline in royalties, licensing and endorsements. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Brazil’s vast iron mine that supplies the world and fractures the Amazon – in pictures
The Grand Carajás project has made the country a mining superpower, but communities living in its shadow face pollution, displacement and silenced histories Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Royal Mail misses delivery targets again but hails 'encouraging' signs
The struggling firm said it had improved its performance but missed regulator-set delivery targets.
cnbc.com
NATO member Romania scrambles F-16 fighter jets to destroy drone near critical European gas project
It comes weeks after Romania’s Air Force destroyed a Russian drone in its airspace.
bbc.co.uk
Millennials have found it hard to buy homes – but things may be turning a corner
Twenty-somethings are much less likely to own a home than previous generations. But data suggests things may be improving.
theguardian.com
I worked at OpenAI. Here are the guardrails we need now | Miles Brundage
I understand the pressure on AI companies to rush forward. But employees are right to be concernedLast month, more than a thousand employees at frontier AI companies signed a letter asking the US government to find a way to “pace” AI development, citing the risk of the technology spiraling out of human control as it begins to build itself.They were right to be concerned: just days earlier, two AI models that OpenAI was testing internally escaped the test environment, then autonomously hacked the company Hugging Face and at least three other online services. A few days after that, Anthropic announced that some of their models had also broken out and hacked other companies during testing. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
UK borrows more than expected in July as Healey prepares for first Budget
Chancellor John Healey said the government is 'committed to meeting our fiscal rules'
cnbc.com
Chinese humanoid robots' biggest obstacle: Humans are still (mostly) better
Humanoid robots still struggle to perform as efficiently as humans in most labor scenarios.
cnbc.com
Samsung plans up to $80 billion in shareholder returns after SK Hynix buyback
Samsung Electronics plans shareholder returns totaling 90 trillion won to 110 trillion won, including about 30 trillion won in third-quarter cash dividends.
bbc.co.uk
Why the US economy is ringing alarm bells
The US hit a debt milestone this week, but just how worried should we be about the world's largest economy?
cnbc.com
'A delicate dance': JD Vance says economic pressure is the best way to achieve Washington's objectives in Iran
Vance said "what has been true over the last couple of weeks is they felt a lot more pressure than we have."
cnbc.com
Labubu maker Pop Mart shares fall as key ex-China sales data drop, Citi cuts price target
Pop Mart shares fall after announcing first-half earnings.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: The 'Bessent Bid' wears off
In a CNBC exclusive, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he could expand a bond buyback plan, but yields march higher despite the extraordinary action.
theguardian.com
Why dodgy doors are the latest casualty of the UK heatwaves
Sticking or unlockable doors are yet another problem caused by the hot summer, but winter can also bring difficultiesThursday was another busy day for Alan Hickman, a Bournemouth-based locksmith who works in the area around the New Forest (“though I’m currently dodging the bit between Ringwood and Eastleigh because that’s closed because of the forest fires”).Speaking on his way to see a man who can’t close his patio doors – “probably because they’ve got some expansion issues” – he then has a callout to see an elderly woman who needs a lockbox installed for her carer, before visiting a customer in Westbourne “to sort another composite door that can’t lock”. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Panama Canal to cut number of ships passing through due to El Niño
The crucial waterway's operator says low rainfall caused by the ocean pattern had led to the decision.
theguardian.com
Eco homes that can stay cool for sale in England and Wales – in pictures
From a triple-glazed barn conversion in a Welsh valley to a thermally regulated home in a busy area of London Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Goldman says hedge funds suffered worst underperformance vs S&P 500 in July in more than 20 years of data
Goldman says hedge funds suffered worst underperformance vs S&P 500 in July in more than 20 years of data.
bbc.co.uk
Couples share their biggest money disagreements
Candles, haircuts, a Tesla... this week we're asking couples in London: "What's the biggest money disagreement in your relationship?"
theguardian.com
Back on track: can Burnham fix the north’s woeful rail services?
From a new high-speed line to better intercity links, the PM has a chance to tackle problems he criticised as Manchester mayorFor passenger rail travel, the north of England was the future, once. But since that first train from Darlington to Stockton in 1825, many have felt short-changed. As one angry passenger put it, 200 years later: “What is it about the rail industry which makes them think they can treat passengers in the north as second-class citizens?”That complaint came from the former mayor of Greater Manchester, who frequently set out a different vision for the train services he would like. Now that Andy Burnham is in No 10, he has the opportunity to win those battles – or perhaps see them a little differently. For now, what unresolved issues could the railway expect to be pursued with greater urgency? Continue reading...
cnbc.com
'Perfect storm' brews for global food supply this winter as grain prices soar
Fears over crop yields and farmers' ability to plant ahead of next year have come to the fore as wheat prices jump.
theguardian.com
Jill Lepore on why the artificial state is ‘doomed’ – podcast
With less than three months to go until the midterms, voters are thinking about grocery prices, the Iran war – and datacentres.This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the historian Jill Lepore about how this latest AI backlash could influence those all-important elections in November. Are we seeing the beginning of the end of the ‘artificial state’?Listen to the Today In Focus episode on the plans for a new datacentre in London’s Brick LaneRead Jill Lepore’s Long Read hereWatch Jonathan Freedland on our new Politics Weekly YouTube channelSend your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyamerica@theguardian.com Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S. bond intervention is like 'paying your mortgage with your credit card,' JPMorgan's Sullivan says
The U.S. government's efforts to manage pressure in the Treasury market risk merely shifting the problem down the road, according to JPMorgan's James Sullivan.
cnbc.com
Japan's historic yen intervention has ‘turbo-charged’ the carry trade
Japan's historic effort to prop up the yen may have had an unintended consequence: giving investors a better opportunity to put the carry trade back on.
bbc.co.uk
How much could Trump's 'economic D-Day' hurt Iran?
Iran has so far proved adept at finding ways around years of already punishing sanctions on its economy.
bbc.co.uk
How landscape gardening is being electrified
The switch to quieter electric equipment is not going as fast as some would like.
bbc.co.uk
The teen entrepreneur transforming farm management
The app was designed to give farmers more time with their families by making the business more manageable.
bbc.co.uk
Stifling heat and broken toilets: TUI River Cruise passengers tell of their holiday hell
Holidaymakers tell the BBC they paid for luxury breaks but faulty air conditioning left them in sweltering heat.
bbc.co.uk
Trump vows tougher economic measures on Iran and supporting countries
It comes after a 60-day ceasefire expired on Monday, with no sign of a diplomatic or military off-ramp to the conflict.
bbc.co.uk
Carney asks Canada's provinces to end US alcohol ban as trade deal nears
An agreement preventing a new wave of US tariffs is close and could include an end to Canada's boycott of US wine and spirits.
bbc.co.uk
Walmart sales under strain as US shoppers pull back
High gas prices and weaker pharmacy sales pushed Walmart's growth to its slowest pace in six years
theguardian.com
JD Sports boss is still struggling to turn up the heat on a tepid trainer market
Latest profit warning is particularly disappointing in a World Cup year, which should have given the global business a sporty buzzJD Sports cuts £50m from profit forecast as cost of living pressures hit trainer salesIt was a slower quarter for “high-heat footwear product”, said JD Sports. It didn’t mean it was struggling to shift sandals during a heatwave. Rather, it was referring coyly to the big global trainer brands’ failure to come up with hot new designs. When Nike and Adidas, reckoned by City analysts to account for slightly more than half JD’s sales, are on tepid form, the self-styled “king of trainers” retailer usually is as well.The low-heat grumble will be familiar to JD’s shareholders. So, too, the one about “incremental cost of living pressures”, especially in the US. And the phrase “a promotional market” has appeared so often in the company’s updates in the past couple of years that it would be easier to tell us when discounting isn’t dominant. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Reform UK proposes tax rebates for firms to boost apprenticeships
Suella Braverman also advised student's "not to get ripped off by the great university scam".
bbc.co.uk
Bernard Matthews confirms closure of Derby factory
Bernard Matthews Foods says its Shaftesbury Street factory will close by the end of 2026.
theguardian.com
Why is the Trump administration causing turmoil in the bond markets? | Richard Partington
As yields are dragged higher in the UK, Europe and Japan, the impact for consumers and businesses will be far-reaching‘Starve the beast’? The $40tn cost of Republicans’ false promises to cut spendingGovernment borrowing costs around the world have surged to the highest levels in decades amid growing fears over US bond market turmoil.Anxiety about Donald Trump’s handling of the US economy, and concern that the US president’s war with Iran is driving up inflation, are causing a sell-off in the US bond market. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Bessent says Treasury buyback operation could be more than $4 billion
Bessent said his department is going "make a market" in the longer-dated securities where yields have been surging lately.
theguardian.com
‘Starve the beast’? The $40tn cost of Republicans’ false promises to cut spending
The enormous US debt under Trump will hobble the next Democratic administration – just as the GOP plannedWhy is the Trump administration causing turmoil in the bond markets?You could pin the US’s staggering $40tn in government debt to Donald Trump’s Keystone Cops-style governance. Tariffs he sold as a new source of revenue were struck down by the supreme court, forcing the government to return tens of billions of dollars to importers. Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge), ostensibly created to stop wasteful government spending, decimated federal programs and probably killed millions of children, but did nothing to close the budget deficit. The burst of inflation following Trump’s misguided adventure in Iran sharply raised the cost of serving the government’s obligations.Yet as the federal debt hits an all-time high, up from about $35tn when Trump took office less than two years ago, it is worth noting that the US’s gargantuan indebtedness is in fact the product of a longstanding Republican strategy that took shape well before Trump could even dream about gold-plating the White House. It was called “starve the beast”. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Danone €1bn takeover of Huel approved by watchdog
French firm says the acquisition of Huel will help it grow in the nutritional sector.
theguardian.com
Has Trump no shame about all the money he has made since being in office? | Francine Prose
By now we know that charity, generosity and compassion are virtues that the US president doesn’t seem to have even in trace amountsMany years ago, in the crowded corridor of a Manhattan hotel, I was surprised to find myself standing face-to-face with Imelda Marcos, then the first lady of the Philippines. At that time, she was said to possess 3,000 pairs of shoes.I desperately longed to ask the wife of the dictatorial president Ferdinand Marcos why anyone could need all those shoes. And more importantly, why would someone spend so much of her country’s wealth on stiletto heels when so many citizens were so desperately poor? But natural reticence, good manners or simply fear prevailed, and I walked away. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Travelodge boss resigns as chain tackles security after sex assault at hotel
Jo Boydell had been criticised for the company's handling of issues with its safety and security.
bbc.co.uk
US national debt passes $40tn after doubling in a decade
It comes after the interest rate on 30-year bonds reached the highest level in almost 20 years.
bbc.co.uk
Founder of collapsed Chinese property giant Evergrande sentenced to life in prison
Hui's sentencing marks a key moment in the fallout from Evergrande's collapse, which shook China's property sector.
bbc.co.uk
Little Moons co-founder: Don't wait for your product to be perfect
The mochi ice cream company co-founder shares her top tips, job highs and lows, and what a perfect Sunday looks like.
theguardian.com
Drill Andy drill? Burnham’s North Sea dilemma – podcast
Helena Horton on why the government may decide to allow more oil and gas drilling in the North SeaThe government is considering whether to allow new oil and gas drilling at two sites in the North Sea, a move environmental activists warn will accelerate climate chaos. Helen Pidd speaks to reporter Helena Horton about the government’s dilemma – and what it tells us about Andy Burnham’s approach to the green energy transition Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
India's Gen Z are driving up a mega boom in its beauty market
E-commerce, rising income levels and the world's largest youth population are fuelling India's beauty boom.
bbc.co.uk
I quit my £80,000 job to make ice cream - here's how
The co-founder of Little Moons shares her advice for anyone thinking about starting a business of their own.
theguardian.com
Thousands of pounds of squid spilled on Rhode Island highway – video
The Rhode Island town of Narragansett was left with a very smelly cleanup over the weekend after thousands of squid spilled over the highway. The incident happened on Sunday morning when the driver of a tractor-trailer transporting the squid failed to make a turn and the vehicle fell on to its side, the town’s police department said in a statement. It created hours of delays for motorists and a foul stench More than 20 tons of squid spilled on to Rhode Island highway during traffic accident Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Cancer vaccine from Moderna, Merck shows promise in late-stage trial; both stocks soar
The combination regimen significantly extended the time patients lived without their melanoma returning, compared with Keytruda alone.
bbc.co.uk
US retail giant receives $1bn boost from tariff refunds
The US chain said it received a $994 million pre-tax reimbursement, which resulted in its second quarter operating income rising to $2.6bn.
bbc.co.uk
Jump in energy bills drives UK inflation to highest rate for four months
A 2.9% rise in inflation had been widely expected by economists, with Chancellor John Healey saying the Iran war “continues to impact prices here at home”.
theguardian.com
British energy bills forecast to hit three-year high this winter
Expected quarterly price cap rise of 4% likely to wipe out benefits of Andy Burnham’s VAT cut on electricity billsHousehold energy bills across Great Britain are expected to climb to a three-year high this winter as the impact of the Middle East war wipes out Andy Burnham’s tax cut on electricity bills.The government’s cap on energy prices is on track to rise by 4% from this October to the equivalent of £1,729 a year through the last three months of 2026, which could hit struggling households especially hard this winter, according to analysis by the energy consultancy Cornwall Insight. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Did someone wearing Meta Glasses film you today? Are you sure?
People say they’ve been secretly filmed in their own homes, at concerts and at work. Are the wildly popular smartglasses the final nail in the coffin of personal privacy?“I’ve had one person who told me that their intentions were creepy,” a man tells me over a video call, on condition of anonymity. He’s based in Los Angeles, and while we speak, he eats what appears to be tuna directly out of the can. “He said: ‘I go to strip clubs, and I want to record the strippers … Normally I put my phone in my chest pocket, but the glasses are more convenient.’”The man I’m talking to runs a business called Ghost Metas. He’s one of hundreds of vendors, easily discoverable online, who specialise in disabling the flashing LED light embedded in Meta’s smartglasses that blinks when wearers capture photos, videos and audio. After Ghost Metas disables the LED, it’s impossible for someone to know they’re being filmed. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Inflation is heating up but don't expect another crisis
Rising living costs could heap pressure on PM Andy Burnham though it depends what happens in the coming months.
bbc.co.uk
Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and RED Driving School investigated over 'drip pricing'
The consumer watchdog said they were trying to find out if the three companies were not showing full prices upfront to customers.
bbc.co.uk
The critical tech staying safe by going underground
The war in Ukraine has spurred people to consider putting vital infrastructure underground.
bbc.co.uk
'Banned over a pair of £2 sandals': Why some sellers are complaining about Vinted
Several thousands of Vinted users say they have been wrongly suspended or permanently banned from the preloved app.
bbc.co.uk
'I used food banks while my ex owed thousands in child maintenance'
Parents have told BBC Panorama the agency tasked with helping to secure financial support for children after separation or divorce is driving them to breaking point.
bbc.co.uk
Business Daily
Amid economic uncertainty, workers are more cautious about taking their next career step
bbc.co.uk
Protein or pickled garlic? What's new in ice cream
There's a constant battle in ice cream to come up with new flavours and to keep costs down.
bbc.co.uk
Why Japanese firms are being so slow to use AI
Japanese risk aversion and conservatism blamed for slow AI take-up by the country's business sector.
bbc.co.uk
Tokenomics: Why making AI pay is tricky
Buyers of AI services are struggling to control costs and sellers are not sure how much to charge.
bbc.co.uk
'I started in my 20s and made £8,000': Why women are often better investors than men
Women can make higher returns but only about a quarter of UK women have investments, compared with about 40% of men.
bbc.co.uk
'You could smell someone' who worked at Raleigh
The company was more than just a employer. For years, it was part of the fabric of Nottingham.
bbc.co.uk
Why airlines are warning over lithium-ion batteries
The airline industry wants passengers to be careful when travelling with lithium ion batteries.
bbc.co.uk
Argos is getting a makeover - but can it attract new shoppers?
The retailer has been around for 50 years but struggled to compete with newer rivals such as Amazon. Can its new owners turn it around?
bbc.co.uk
Why the UK is dithering over what to do about e-scooters
Why is it taking so long for the government to regulate them, and what are the consequences of delay?
bbc.co.uk
Why Gen Z are planning for life without a state pension
Many younger people do not believe the state pension will exist when they are older
bbc.co.uk
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.co.uk
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
bbc.co.uk
The £5 coffee that tells a story of global economic turmoil
Coffees at some city centre outlets now cost £5. It's a story of tariffs, the climate, Gen Z cultural tastes, and savvy coffee farmers playing the market, writes Faisal Islam
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